Dual Instinct
by Alaska829Snow
Summary: "If losing my light magic is the price of saving your life, then I'm certain it was never worth having." After Regina saves an injured and afraid Emma, it's up to the former Evil-Queen to figure out who hurt her.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Sometimes a story just won't get out of your head. This one basically camped out in my brain, lol. I've been wanting to explore Emma's emotions on a deeper level for a while now and this is the result. It's a bit darker / has more of a "mystery" feel than anything else I've written but I'm looking forward to trying something new. T****he story is post 3B-ish (Zelena was defeated but no time-travel and no canon OQ/CS for obvious reasons).**

**I hope you like it! Thanks to FlyYouFools for all the help and advice -Dakota**

* * *

><p>"I killed someone?"<p>

Emma looks up at Regina with big, fearful eyes. The Savior is sitting on the ground, her back pressed against the cement wall of the alleyway. Sweat is dripping down her forehead as she holds her still-shaking hands out in front of her. She looks down at them, knowing they're the murder weapon, as if they're an entirely separate part of her; a part she cannot bring herself to believe truly exists.

"_We_ killed someone," Regina corrects. Because it was, undoubtedly, the intensity of their _combined _magic and emotions that did this. There is no question that they are equally responsible for this death. Though she is sure they do not feel equal amounts of guilt.

As Regina's eyes gaze over the dead body on the floor, she feels no remorse or sorrow. On the contrary, she is still so furious at the actions of the now-lifeless corpse that if, in some sort of bizarre magical loophole, their victim came back to life, Regina's positive she would do it all over again.

"This is my fucking fault," Emma pants, her chest heaving with every word. "I…._Regina_...this is all my fault and..."

Regina reminds herself that while this isn't her first kill (and she's honestly not sure if it will be her last), it _is_ Emma's. She tries to remember what it was like the first time she ended someone's life. She tries to remember - and empathize with - what Emma is feeling.

"_No_," she replies. Because as much as she can understand Emma's guilt, she cannot allow too much of it to surface. It is, after all, completely misplaced and so very far from deserved. "How could you even say such a thing? None of this is your fault. And I know that you know that."

"But you had light magic. And now...now..."

It suddenly hits Regina that amongst Emma's long list of concerns about their current situation, the redemption of the Evil Queen is, somehow, one of them.

"_I_ ruined it," Emma decides. "I made you….you only came here because I….I'm _so_ sorry."

Regina thinks about the gravity of what Emma is saying. She has no idea if her light magic is gone because of what they've done. But she realizes very quickly that she doesn't care. No, she doesn't care about labels: light and dark, hero and villain. She's only concerned about trying to do the right thing for the people she cares about. And this? She is _sure _it was the right thing.

But it's not the time to talk about all of these complexities. Not when Emma is sitting before her, such a shattered mess. "You didn't ruin anything," Regina tells her. "You didn't do anything wrong."

Emma might be the worst Savior of all time, if Regina stops to think about it. She would never say that outloud, of course. But really? Emma has been dragged, kicking and screaming, by Henry and by her parents through almost everything she's done. Sometimes by Regina, too. (Though she thinks she pushes Emma more than she actually drags her.) Either way, it seems to Regina that all of the pressure Emma has had placed upon her shoulders has finally (and maybe inevitably) crushed her completely.

But Emma's raw humanity, her inability to remain unrealistically strong under such intense circumstances, is what makes Regina care about her way more than she ever planned to. Truthfully, she sees so much of herself in Emma that it's frightening. The things she now knows about Emma, the things she's _learned _over the past few days, flood her mind and make her want to burst out into tears. Strangely, Regina finds that all she wants to do is love Emma through this.

"Stand up," she suddenly and strongly commands. Because she can't take looking at Emma on the floor for one more second. She knows she has no right to tell Emma what to do in the same way she has no right to care about her. But she can't stop doing either. "Now."

Emma takes Regina's extended hand and lets herself be pulled to her feet. Her legs are unsteady, and she looks like she might fall back down at any second, but she manages not to.

"Listen to me." Emma's eyes are darting all around as if she's not really sure that it's even over yet - as if she expects more violence, more fighting. And why shouldn't she? After all, that has been their lives for the better part of the past year. "Are you listening?"

"Yes."

"If losing my light magic is the price of saving your life, then I'm certain it was never worth having in the first place."

Very, very briefly Emma smiles. But then she remembers the reality of what just happened. She squeezes Regina's hand, which still holds her own as she asks: _"What the hell do we do now?"_

* * *

><p><strong><span>Three Days Earlier:<span>**

Regina wakes up from a nightmare that she cannot, for the life of her, remember. She knows it must have been disturbing because her entire body is covered in a thick layer of cold sweat. She tries to shake it off, to go back to sleep, but some unidentifiable force is refusing to allow that.

Suddenly, she's worried there's something more to it, that it wasn't a dream at all but, rather, her intuition trying to tell her something. She jumps up out of bed and quickly, quietly makes her way down the hallway. She opens Henry's bedroom door and creeps in, trying her best to do so unnoticed. When she approaches the bed, she looks down lovingly at her sleeping boy. She brushes her palm against his forehead; he's breathing just fine. No evidence of a fever. Everything seems OK.

(She briefly considers that Henry isn't really Henry. That he has been kidnapped by someone or something and taken far, far away from her. But she tells herself the odds of someone swapping bodies with her son for the second time in a year are incredibly low).

Regina wishes that knowing Henry is alright means that everyone she cares about is safe and sound, but that's not the case. Not anymore. She hates to admit it and she only does when it's absolutely necessary. And right now it feels necessary.

Regina makes her way back to her own bedroom, picks up the phone on her dresser and dials the Charmings' apartment without giving it a second thought.

"Hello?" Snow picks up almost immediately.

"Are you alright?"

"Regina?"

"Yes," she confirms with a hint of annoyance. Who else does Snow think would be calling her in the middle of the night? And, anyway, she must have caller ID. "Are you OK?"

"I'm fine. Is something wrong?"

"Where's Charming?"

"Sitting right here with Neal sleeping in his arms. What's going on?"

"Good," she exhales, feeling a bit of relief. "OK, that's good."

"Are _you_ alright?" Snow turns the question around. Regina realizes it is justified considering her erratic and still unexplained behavior.

"Yes. But I have a feeling."

"What kind of feeling?"

"Not a good one," is all she offers in return.

She's not in the mood for a heart-to-heart or to explain any aspect of what is happening. She can hardly explain it herself. Besides, she is too busy doing the math in her head: Three down, one to go. One very important one to go.

"Where's Emma?"

"In her room?"

"Was that a question?" Regina mocks. "Is she or isn't she in her room?"

"I think she is. She said good-night to us before and went upstairs but sometimes she can't sleep and she goes out running."

"You let her go running in the middle of the night?"

"Would you suggest I tell my grown daughter, who carries a gun and has the world's most powerful magic, that it's too dangerous for her to run around Storybrooke? How do you think Emma would respond to that?"

"Go check if she's in her room."

"OK." Snow knows better than to try to fight Regina when she's so on edge. And right now? She's about to fall off it. "Hold on a second then."

She hears Snow's feet shuffling and she momentarily zones out and thinks of Emma.

Emma is….something to Regina. Something very confusing. And it just keeps getting worse and worse. Like last weekend, for instance, when Emma called her out of the blue and invited her to the beach. _It's Henry's last weekend before school starts, _Emma said. _He should hang out with both of us, right? _

And so Regina agreed. Because she would never give up time with Henry. And because she admittedly liked that she was asked to join them even though it was Emma's weekend with their son. Regina never shares on her weekends. Emma's gesture was unexpected and….sweet. Or something of the sort.

But the beach had only led to more confusion. Because Emma kept _looking_ over at her, eyes lingering a bit too long on exposed-olive skin, while they lounged in the sun reading their respective books. When Regina looked back Emma would look away like she hadn't been looking at all. Regina didn't know if she was imagining it. But it really didn't seem like she was. It also didn't seem like she imagined the way Emma playfully, gently (accidently?), bumped their shoulders together when Henry insisted they all go in the water.

And then there had been the walk home. When Henry saw his friends and ran off ahead of them without giving it a second thought. Regina, perhaps due the delusion of heat exhaustion, felt suddenly emotional about her growing son and admitted out loud: _"I can't believe he's starting eighth grade in a few days." _

"_Me, either." _

"_I still remember when he started Kindergarten."_

"_Me, too," _Regina knew that Emma was, of course, referring to the fake, New York memories_. "Well, I guess I only of sort of do? But, yeah. Thanks again for that."_

"_You don't have to keep thanking me." _

"_I know I don't have to but I want to. Is that OK?"_

"_If you insist." _

"_Cool," _Emma nodded. _"Good." _

Regina was about to roll her eyes and mock Emma's awkward response but before she could Emma grabbed her hand and threaded their fingers together and Regina really didn't understand why they walked like that the whole way home. She understood even less about the way Emma lingered on her porch when they reached 108 Mifflin Street as if she expected….

"She's not here," Snow's voice startles Regina out of the memory and back to reality.

"What?!"

"I really wouldn't worry though. She does this all the time. I'm sure she went running. She's not good at sitting still. Not even at night."

"Does she usually bring her cell phone on these runs that I've never once heard her mention?"

"Always," Snow tells her. "Do you want me to call her?"

"No, I'll do it. It's my….feeling."

"Well, please call me back as soon as you reach her, OK? You're worrying me."

"OK," Regina agrees. "I will."

Regina ends the call but instantly dials Emma's number (a number she wishes she didn't know by heart). Emma's phone rings and rings and rings, but nothing happens and the feeling in Regina's stomach, almost like she's really carsick, is only getting worse and worse.

It has to be Emma that's in trouble, she decides. Because she is _really _sure that something bad is happening and she is all out of people she would care about it happening to.

It is that totally unsound logic that she uses as justification to take an extremely drastic measure.

Regina closes her eyes and thinks of Emma. She thinks of everything about her. (Why is there so much to think about? Like the way Emma always smells a little bit like vanilla or the way she laughs hysterically at Regina's sarcastic comments or the way she has a tendency to trip over her own two feet but somehow manages to look like she _meant_ to do it). Because all she wants is to get Emma here. She wants to see Emma and to know that she is OK.

And then, with a bit of magic and purple smoke, Emma is there.

Emma is sitting on Regina's bed. But Emma isn't OK. Emma is kicking and screaming _'Get off of me'_ until she realizes that no one is actually there. She freezes as she slowly takes in her new surroundings, her eyes growing wide in the process.

"Regina?" she chokes out.

"What happened?" Regina runs to her side, taking inventory of the state she is in: Emma's wearing her jeans and boots but her shirt is nowhere to be found. Her chest, covered only by her bra, is coated in scratches and dirt. Her stomach has a slash across the left side that looks like it was done with the tip of a knife. There's blood dripping down her chin from the corner of her split-lip. She looks like she's just been in one hell of a brawl.

"I don't know," Emma tells her. "I don't remember."

"What do you mean you don't remember?!"

"I...I don't know. I was in my room. That's the last thing I remember. How did I get here? What the…." she looks down at her own body. "Fuck. Someone attacked me? Someone fucking attacked me and I don't remember it?!"

"You're bleeding," Regina says, mostly because Emma doesn't seem to even acknowledge the wide-open gash on her stomach or the fact that the blood seeping out of it might be a bit of a problem. "We have to get you to the hospital."

"No, no, no."

"Look at yourself. This isn't the time to be stubborn or indulge in a ridiculous hero complex."

"Someone attacked me and erased my memories. Don't you get it? We have another fucking villain on our hands."

"Yes and we can talk about that _after_ you get stitches."

"No! Don't you fucking get it?" Emma yells. "If you take me to the hospital then they'll win. They'll have taken down the Savior on their first try. We can't go to the hospital. Everyone will know that someone attacked me and there will be panic and chaos all over again. But if you use magic to heal me then _we _will have the upperhand. "

Regina isn't sure how the hell Emma can think so rationally and strategically at a time like this. And she wishes what she said didn't make a whole lot of damn sense. But Regina, for a long list of complicated reasons, isn't inclined to take chances on Emma's health or safety. So she's not sure what to do next.

"Can you heal me, or not?"

"Yes," Regina admits because Emma always knows when she's lying so there's no point in pretending otherwise. "But I shouldn't magically close a wound without it being cleaned. If I close it and it's infected the infection will spread and kill you."

"So, clean it!" Emma demands and it slightly startles Regina the way she's so damn forceful about it. "You're Henry's mom. You're our kid's mom. Do you really expect me to believe that you don't have a damn first aid kit in this house? That you don't know how to clean a cut?!"

Regina wants to yell back that it's more than a little cut but instead she turns on her heels and goes to retrieve the antiseptic from under the bathroom sink. When she returns she kneels on the ground, practically in between Emma's legs, to get at the best angle from which to tend to the wound.

"This is going to hurt," she warns before she begins. At initial contact, damp cotton gauze against skin, Emma jumps a bit. She clenches her fists at first but then exhales and settles her hands on Regina's shoulders for support.

"I'm sorry about your bedspread," Emma looks down at the off-white duvet that's now covered in blood and dirt. "I'll… _shit, you were right that really does sting_….I'll buy you a new one."

"That's not important," Regina replies. And she only hopes Emma understands that what she means to say is that Emma being alright is what matters. Not the duvet and not much else.

"I really don't want to do this again, you know?"

"Do what again?"

"Take down another fairytale villain," Emma clarifies. "Peter Pan, The Wicked Witch of the West, who is even…..who the hell do you think it is now? I can't...I can't even think of another movie….I mean…"

"I don't have the faintest idea who would do this."

"I wonder who they'll be related to this time. I really don't think Henry's family tree can take anymore fucking branches before it just breaks in two."

"I agree."

"Damn it," Emma curses and at first Regina assumes it's merely from the pain. But then the blonde says, almost in a whisper, "_I'm sorry_."

"Why are you sorry?"

"I didn't mean to be insensitive." Regina doesn't know what Emma means until the Savior adds: "She was your sister."

"I hardly knew her."

"Still."

"Yes," Regina agrees. Because she does truly wish that Zelena took her second-chance. She can't stop picturing what it would've been like to sit down with her and talk about all the ways in which Cora had wronged them both. But she knows that's never going to happen now and she really wishes it didn't break her heart. "Still."

Emma winces and bites her lip and is trying so hard to act like she's not about to pass out. Regina focuses hard on making sure she does everything right. She won't let Emma die because of her need to act as though everything is fine when it's clearly not. It's miracle Emma hasn't lost her life to that very trait already.

"I should be able to heal it now," Regina finally says moments later when she feels confident in her work. Emma nods and Regina places a warm palm against the cut and calls forth all of her magic.

"Wow," Emma exhales when Regina removes her hand to reveal that she was successful. "It's like it never even happened."

"But it did," Regina reminds her. "It happened."

"How'd you….how'd you even know to pull me out of….wherever I was?"

For a second Regina contemplates how it looks: that Emma, without a single memory of what happened, ended up injured and in the home of the Evil Queen. She can't help but to go to that place. That scary, dark place where Emma and her aren't friends and allies but opposing forces bent on each other's destruction. "Are you accusing me of…."

"I'm honestly not even going to justify that with a response," Emma nearly snarls in interruption. "Don't be ridiculous, OK? That's not even close to what I meant. I was just curious."

"I don't know how I knew. I woke up and I felt that something was wrong. I checked on Henry and your parents and then, by process of elimination, I assumed it was you in danger."

"You probably saved my life."

"Maybe," Regina considers as she stands up and tries her best at a bit of humor. "Though, to be fair, we haven't actually seen the other guy."

Emma snorts, appreciating the lighter tone. "True."

"It's late. You should stay in the guestroom down the hall. You should also call your parents and let them know you're OK."

"Can I use this?" Emma picks up the phone, still sitting on the bed, that Regina used to call the Charmings.

"Of course."

"_Hey, it's me_," Emma speaks into the device seconds later. Regina assumes that Mary-Margaret was waiting by the phone for this very call. "_Yeah, Regina found me. I'm fine. I sprained my ankle running. Yeah, I don't know, she has awesome instincts. She healed it, actually so I'm good as new. I'm just...tired so I'm going to stay here tonight, OK? Yeah, I'll see you in the morning. I love you, too_."

When the Savior hangs up, Regina can't stop herself from asking. "Why did you lie?"

"If we're about to go to war again, I don't want them involved. I mean, they've got a baby to think about now."

Regina nods. It makes perfect sense to her. Regina didn't particularly enjoy the way Charming went marching into the battle with Zelena. Or the way a very pregnant Snow had been slapped around by the ghost version of Cora. The Charmings are, technically speaking, their equals but Emma and Regina both seem to want to protect them as if they are the same age as Henry.

"Do you think they're safe?"

"Your parents?" Regina questions. "Yes, the apartment is still protected with my magic."

"And Henry?"

"Oh, his room has been protected with the strongest magic I could possibly conjure since the very moment we returned from Neverland."

"Is your whole house protected or just his room?"

"No one is going to get into this house."

"Right, but I'm just wondering how it works. Like, can someone like get in through the window? Or down chimney like some sort of evil Santa? Because, you know, you told me that Zelena couldn't get out of your office but she _did_."

Regina wonders how the hell she hadn't seen it until now but it hits her like a freight train. Emma is scared. No, that's putting it far too mildly: Emma is _petrified_. She is hiding it really well. She is masking it behind her concern for others. But Emma was just brutally attacked and now it's very, very clear to Regina that she's afraid to go to sleep or even move a single muscle for that matter.

"On second thought, perhaps you should stay in here," Regina tells her. "Just in case."

"No, that's not what I meant."

"I know that's not what you meant," Regina won't hurt Emma's pride because she knows that will make it so much worse. "But it's what I've decided is best. You get into bed and go to sleep. I'll stay up and keep watch and make sure nothing else happens tonight."

"You should sleep and I should keep watch," Emma argues. Because heaven forbid she make this easy.

"You were the one who was injured. Just because magic healed you, doesn't mean your body doesn't need to rest. Trust me."

"I guess you probably know best when it comes to this stuff."

"Indeed."

Emma takes off her boots and jeans and climbs under Regina's covers in her underwear. "Oh and I do," Emma adds, as Regina turns off the light. "Just, for the record."

"What's that?"

"Trust you."

Regina doesn't know why she almost throws up at the unadulterated genuineness of the statement. She's just glad the room is too dark for Emma to see the look of pure adoration on her face.

* * *

><p>Regina is tired and bored and it's the middle of the night but she told Emma she would stay awake so she will. Though she is certain that Emma's attacker has absolutely no chance of getting inside of her house she also won't risk it; so she sits on the love-seat in her bedroom staring at her closed door.<p>

Regina suddenly hears the sound of something vibrating. She walks closer and closer to the noise until she finds that it's originating from just under the bed. She picks up Emma's cell phone and realizes that it must have fallen out of her pant-pocket in the midst of the earlier chaos.

The phone doesn't seem to be ringing and there are no new messages so Regina safely assumes the vibration was merely Emma's email or some other unimportant notification. She knows she should probably just turn the phone off or put it away but something is gnawing at her gut as she fiddles it in her hands.

Regina, possessed by a sudden investigative streak, can't help but to open Emma's text messages. She tells herself that, after all, it might help them put together the pieces of what had occurred.

The first message is from Snow and simply says: _"Did you go for a run? Regina's looking for you." _

But the message before that is from Hook. Regina is torn because she doesn't want to invade Emma's privacy further and she's starting to feel like she's made a mistake in doing this at all. She's about to put the phone down and forget it altogether when she notices that the message contains her own name. Unable to calm her curiosity, she opens it and scrolls up the thread.

_You awake, Swan?_

**Yeah. What's up?**

_Pretty intense poker game on the Jolly Roger. You want in?_

**No but enjoy. Don't wager your hook. That'd be awkward, lol.**

_Hysterical. But are you sure you don't want to reconsider? Your woman's here._

**What? Regina's playing poker? No way.**

_Aye. Just showed up. She asked for you. Thought you would be here._

**On my way. Thanks for the heads up. Make sure Regina doesn't leave before I get there.**

Regina's hands shake and she nearly drops the phone back onto the floor. It's too much information to process at once and she thinks she's going to combust from a complete system overload. She's tries, desperately, to make sense of it all but it's incredibly hard for her to wrap her mind around.

First, she thinks, it would seem that Emma was not out for a run earlier that night at all. Regina should've figure that out because Emma wasn't dressed in athletic attire but rather was in her jeans. That meant Emma had likely been on her way to the Jolly Roger when she was attacked. The timing of the messages made sense.

Unless, of course, Emma was _on_ the Jolly Roger when she was attacked.

Regina tries her best not to jump to ugly conclusions. The truth is this is Storybrooke and, more often than not, things are not what they appear to be. Regina knows that better than anyone. After all, she was once accused of murdering a man who wasn't even actually dead based upon pretty damning evidence. The strange, nonsensical messages don't necessarily mean Hook is guilty of anything at all.

Regina doesn't exactly have a high opinion of of the pirate and she certainly wouldn't put assault past him. But at the same time, he seems rather fond of Emma. He even seems to have accepted that she's uninterested in him in the way he wants her to be. Emma told Regina all about that at the beach.

And then Regina thinks once again of the beach and the looks and the hand-holding and the confusion. And she wonders why the hell Hook had called her Emma's woman? And she wonders why, exactly, Emma seemed so eager to attend the alleged poker game once Hook said she was supposedly there?

And that was the other thing, Regina had obviously been nowhere near the Jolly Roger that night. So Hook lied to Emma. Or, at least, someone pretending to be Hook had.

Regina exhales and realizes she is far from OK. She is panicked and perplexed and unsure of where to go from here. She isn't a damn detective. She knows that Charming or Henry or really anyone else in the whole wide world would be so much better at trying to make sense of the facts and evidence as they now stand.

But she surely isn't going to allow Henry to have any part in this and Emma has already ruled out her parent's involvement. So, Regina accepts that she is going to have to do this on her own.

She feels an overwhelming sense of protectiveness towards the closest thing she's ever had to family. Because even though she has no idea who or what the hell Emma is to her she knows that she is important and that it's worth defending what they've built. Regina knows she's going to have to step up to the plate as scary as that may be.

Henry believes in her and so does Emma. They've made that clear time and time again. And that knowledge? Well, it gives Regina the strength to believe in herself a little bit, too.

* * *

><p>In the morning the sun rises and the birds chirp and Regina remembers that she told Henry she would join him on his walk to school. It's a little tradition the pair like to keep up when the weather is nice and even though Regina hasn't so much as closed her eyes all night she won't deny herself something that makes her so incredibly happy.<p>

The only problem is the woman who is currently passed out in her bed. Regina doesn't know if she should wake her but leaving without saying anything seems like the wrong move. She briefly considers leaving a note but even that doesn't feel good enough considering how scared Emma was before she fell asleep.

"Emma," Regina gently nudges her shoulder and the blonde grumbles something incoherently in reply. "I'm going to walk with Henry to school. Will you be alright here for a little while?"

What Regina really wants to ask is if Emma is OK with being _alone_. But, once again, she thinks of Emma's pride and finds a way to reward her thoughts.

"Oh," Emma answers in a sleepy, groggy voice. Regina watches as the events of the previous night wash over her. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine."

"I promise that as long as you stay in this room you'll be perfectly safe," she offers as consolation. She would never leave if she wasn't fully confident in that fact."Would you like me to get you something from Granny's on the way back? Breakfast perhaps?"

"Milkshake?"

"What flavor?"

"Strawberry."

It's Henry's favorite, too. Regina should've known.

"I won't be long at all. You should just keep resting. We'll talk about our next move when I return."

Regina begins to walk away but Emma grabs onto her wrist and holds her in place. "Thank you."

Emma smiles at her and Regina becomes irrationally angry at the thought of anyone trying to hurt her. She feels her blood boil and she wants to make this right and she doesn't care if she has to set the whole world on fire in the process.

"You're welcome," she says, a bit more emotionally than she meant for it to come out. The sweetness in her tone is a drastic contrast to what she feels on the inside: something a little too close to rage for her liking.

Regina walks out of the room with determination in her step. Because one thing is for sure: whatever the hell had gone on last night, she _is _going to find out.


	2. Chapter 2

**An update (possibly inspired by my disdain for the last episode). Hope you like it. Completely unedited so I'll check for mistakes tomorrow. **

* * *

><p>Regina kisses Henry on the forehead (despite the fact that his friends are right there waiting for him) and parts ways with him in front of the school. She <em>plans <em>to go straight to Granny's to get Emma her strawberry milkshake, but her feet carry her towards the docks by the Jolly Roger instead. She doesn't have a plan or any idea of what to say or do, really. She just wants to understand the lies Hook told and what they could possibly mean.

She spots the pirate sitting on a bench staring out at the water but her eyes immediately dart to what he's holding. Regina's sure she would recognize it anywhere: Emma's trademark red leather jacket. She picks up her pace until she's standing directly in front of him with her hands placed disapprovingly on her hips.

"What the hell are you doing with that?" She barks, just a little louder than she meant to.

"Your Majesty," he greets with a nod before answering. "I'm afraid that is...well, quite frankly, none of your business."

"Oh, really?" Regina challenges. She considers poofing the garment out of his hands but she finds she wants to_ feel _the physical satisfaction. So, she reaches down and rips it away from him so aggressively that it clearly startles him to full attention. "For your information, the safety of my son's mother is very much _my_ business."

"Safety?" He questions. "What are you talking about?"

"Emma was violently assaulted last night. As far as I know, _you_ were the last person she spoke to before it happened."

"Swan was assaulted?" Hook furrows his dark brow and Regina thinks he appears concerned. She has to admit it seems genuine but she's been fooled before and, so, she keeps her guard up and completely in tact. "Is she alright?"

"She is now, yes. Except for the fact that she has no memory of what happened."

"That's bad luck, mate."

Not even thirty seconds have gone by and Hook seems so flippant about it. He seems so casually accepting of the fact that Emma nearly died. But, perhaps, it's because he didn't see for himself the condition she was in: all blood and dirt and fear.

"It has nothing to do with luck," Regina corrects. "It has to do with a meticulously pre-planned attack."

"And you're suggesting that _I _had something to do with it?"

"You invited Emma over to the Jolly Roger to play poker last night."

Hook frowns at the statement. But, much to her surprise, he doesn't bother to try and deny it. "Yes, I did."

"Did she show up?"

"Briefly. She only stayed for a minute."

"Is that because she realized you brought her there under false pretenses?"

Regina considers how much of her hand she should play. Maybe she shouldn't be revealing what she already knows from reading Emma's text messages. Maybe she should be testing him. But she's not like Emma or Henry or Charming; her brain isn't wired that way. She's used to getting what she wants through magic and power, not through stakeouts and investigations.

"Why did you tell Emma that _I _was playing poker with you?" She continues. "Why did you use me like some sort of bait?"

Hook looks up at her with amusement or curiosity or something she can't exactly identify but still finds deeply unsettling.

"Why did you call me her _woman_?" She demands.

Hook is smug and obnoxious when he replies with a smirk. "I take it you liked the sound of it, then?"

"_Enough_," Regina warns. "This isn't funny."

Hook sighs and shakes his head in what looks like defeat. Regina glares at him with her very best evil queen eyes because she refuses to play games with a man who she has absolutely no respect for.

"I needed to discuss something with Emma," he finally admits. "I knew I could get her to come over if she thought she would get to see you."

"Why's that?"

"You know, you should really consider asking your boy. He's the one who told me."

"Told you _what?_" She questions, her stomach churning at the mention of her son's involvement. "Goddamn it, Hook. Get to the point already."

"That Emma has feelings for you, of course."

Regina thinks that Henry has been right a lot but he's also been wrong just as often. And maybe he's been getting ideas in his head. Maybe the family dinners were a bad idea and he's gravely misunderstood the situation.

"Henry sometimes has an overactive imagination."

"Aye," Hook agrees. "Which is why I confronted Emma about it myself. She gave me a whole sappy, ridiculous speech about how it _just happened._"

Regina shakes it off quickly. If Henry was involved this almost sounds like some sort of ingenious plan. Perhaps Emma and Henry devised the whole thing to get Hook away from Emma. It's not the worst idea, if Regina really thinks about it. This pirate disgusts her and she would do almost anything to get him out of her family's life. If letting him think that Emma has feelings for her is the ticket, she is happy to sign on.

The alternative is too ridiculous to be true, of course. And, in any case, Regina has to focus on making sure the Savior lives long enough for her to figure out what the hell is going on between them. So, she instantly cuts herself off from thinking about it any further and gets back to the task at hand.

"Do you know where she went after she left your ship?"

"No, she walked off in a bit of a huff. Even forgot her beloved jacket. I haven't got a clue what happened to her after that."

"Just stay away from her if you know what's good for you," Regina threatens. "And keep this quiet. The Charmings have no idea what happened and Emma doesn't want them to."

Hook laughs, deep and hearty. "And you _really_ expect me to believe she's not your woman, too?"

Regina doesn't know what to say because she understands how protective she's being of a grown adult who can more than take care of herself. But all she knows is she didn't sacrifice _everything _to make Emma and Henry happy for the past year only for it to be taken away now.

"You're really quite an odd pair," Hook muses aloud. "And I don't understand her decision. But I'll respect it. That's all I was trying to tell her last night."

Regina hates that he doesn't see the irony. That's always been his problem. _That's_ why he never stood a chance. She is more than happy to spell it out for him.

"You _'respected_' her by manipulating her in order to get her to speak to you?" Regina scoffs. "I'm not sure I believe that Emma has feelings for me, but I can rest assured she doesn't have them for you."

Apparently she's struck a nerve because now Hook is openly scowling at her. "And I can rest assured that you two will self-destruct before the end of the first date."

"Fuck off," spills out of her mouth and she knows that it's childish and so, so beneath her but she doesn't really stop to think about it.

Nor does she stop to think about why, exactly, she's being so defensive of a relationship that doesn't actually exist.

* * *

><p>Granny is staring at her suspiciously as she waits for Emma's milkshake (how long does it take to make one, anyway?) and it's starting to truly irk her. Admittedly, she's already in a bad mood after her conversation with Hook but the older woman's gaze digging into her like she's done something terribly wrong isn't making it any better.<p>

"Can I help you?" Regina sasses, unable to take it any longer.

"No."

"Then why are you _staring _at me like that?"

Granny clears her throat before she says in a whisper. "You ordered Emma's favorite milkshake and you're clutching onto her jacket for dear life."

"So_, _what?" Regina snaps. "Are you preparing to call in the troops? You think I've kidnapped her? That I'm keeping her prisoner but bringing her all of her favorite meals?"

"No," Granny replies in sing-song voice that's almost taunting. "That's _not_ what I was thinking at all."

Regina tries to come up with a witty reply but, before she can, Ruby sets down the milkshake on the counter and tells her grandmother to _'leave it alone.'_ Granny saunters away while Snow's best friend smirks like she knows a dirty-little secret.

But Regina's pretty sure that, for once, she doesn't have a dirty-little secret. Nor does she have the strenght to sit in the diner for one more second with people she can't stand. So, she takes the milkshake and leaves without so much as a 'thank you' to either the waitress or the owner. For the first time in forever, she doesn't even bother with a tip.

* * *

><p>Regina walks into her bedroom without a second thought and, for a brief moment, she forgets who she left snuggled under her covers. But then she sees Emma standing in her underwear and a shirt that looks quite familiar and she realizes maybe she shouldn't have barged in.<p>

"Oh, I'm sorry." The words fall out of her mouth, despite how ridiculous it is that she's apologizing for entering her own room.

"I used your shower," Emma reports. "And stole your shirt again. So, I'm probably the one who should be sorry."

"No," Regina takes a few steps closer to her and hands over the milkshake. "That's quite alright."

"Thank for this. I'm starving."

Emma sits down and Regina tries to process the sight of the Savior on her bed wearing her shirt and casually sipping on a milkshake. She quickly decides that it's weirdly not weird at all. She even decides to sit down right next to her.

"I think I was with Hook last night," Emma says in between sips.

"You remember?"

"No, no. I went through my text messages."

"You did see him last night." Regina tells her. Emma instantly arches an eyebrow, silently questioning how she knows. "I ran into him this morning. He had your jacket. It's downstairs in the kitchen."

"Did he tell you anything useful?"

"That he lied to get you to come see him about something. According to his story, you showed up but left a few minutes later. You were angry with him but completely unharmed."

Emma scoffs. "He's an asshole."

"But do you think that he would hurt you?"

As Emma considers it, Regina can tell she's not ruling it out.

"I mean, he hasn't been as shitty as I thought he would be after I told him I wasn't interested in him romantically. To be honest, I actually thought we were kind of becoming friends. But he did shoot Belle. And he left you with Greg and Tamara to be tortured. So, I don't really know what to think about what he's capable of doing with people he has no use for."

"I'm just not sure how he would've have erased your memory," Regina admits. Because as much as she'd truly love to blame Hook, it's the one thing that doesn't make sense to her. "That's a rather complex spell."

"And he's not exactly a genius."

"Precisely."

Emma glances up at the clock on the wall and sighs. "I should get to work."

"Should you?" Regina challenges (because she's not feeling quite ready to let Emma leave the safety of a home protected by magic).

"The Sheriff needs to report for duty."

"The Mayor would argue that she needs to rest."

"I slept for, like, eight hours," Emma reasons. "Besides, we want to act like everything's totally normal, right?"

"I suppose. But please be careful. We don't actually know anything about what's going on in this town at the moment."

"That's just the thing: I honestly have no idea where to start because we're so clueless. I'm going to mull it over today and try to think of something we could do to keep the upper-hand."

"_Do_ we have the upper-hand?"

"I guess we don't even know that," Emma says with a frown. "Hey, um, do you think you'd be able to do it again?"

"Do what again?"

"Sense it," she clarifies."You know, if someone comes after me?"

Regina is floored by how vulnerable Emma seems and how desperately she clearly wants the answer to be _yes_. And it's only then Regina notices that their thighs are touching (Emma's completely bare, Regina's covered only by a thin layer of stockings) and that she can practically taste Emma's minty breath as she exhales. Their eyes are locked on one another and she feels the Savior begging her to tell her something that will make her feel OK.

"I'm not sure," Regina says, wishing more than anything she had a better answer. "I don't know how it happened in the first place. It was just a feeling."

"Right, yeah, alright."

"There might be a way…" Regina thinks out loud, her mind churning with ideas and possibilities. She realizes that, maybe, she _can_ do something. Even if it is, admittedly, a somewhat extreme something. "We could temporarily bind our magic."

"You know I don't speak this language, right? You need to translate from magic to English."

"If we use a spell that binds our magic, I'll be able to feel when yours flares. Magic is emotion and if you were, hypothetically, being attacked your emotions would react and I would be able to feel it."

"Would it hurt you? This binding thing? Because that doesn't exactly sound good."

"No, it wouldn't hurt at all. But it would work both ways."

"Like as in I would feel you, too?"

"Yes."

"That sounds kind of awesome," Emma perks up a tiny bit. "For security purposes, I mean. We're pretty much the two biggest targets in town, right?"

"It could certainly come in handy if we have another villain to deal with."

"Can we do it?"

"Yes but we'll have to get the ingredients from my vault."

"To the vault it is then," Emma nods before glancing downwards. "Although, first I might need some pants."

* * *

><p>Emma is already touching everything in the vault. Regina wants to scold her but there is no point because she doesn't listen anyway. Things go in one ear and out the other and the town really is lucky their 'Savior' hasn't accidentally blown them all up by now.<p>

"You know what I don't get," Emma says as her fingertips run across items she knows absolutely nothing about.

"What's that?"

"How come my magic didn't work when I was being attacked?"

"You're alive," Regina notes, as she carefully mixes together the ingredients. "Perhaps it did work."

"But if _you _were being attacked you would've just poofed away. Or you would've been able to use your magic to overpower whoever was attacking you. I had the shit beaten out of me. My magic usually works under pressure and I don't get why it didn't this time."

"It's impossible to know," Regina tells her. And, yes, she has already asked herself the very same thing because Emma is not usually one to be defeated. "Perhaps you were caught completely off-guard and didn't have time to react. Plus, if the person who attacked you was able to erase your memories, it's likely they had magic as well."

"But I thought mine was supposed to be the most powerful of all," Emma argues. "You know, True Love and stuff."

Regina feels like there is a concerning air of self-deprecation to her line of thinking. "Are you blaming yourself?"

"Not exactly," Emma shrugs. "It just seems weird."

"Well, this spell should make sure it doesn't happen again."

"But you'll keep teaching me magic, right?"

"Of course," Regina agrees. She dips a long piece of cloth into the liquid spell she's created. When she pulls it out again she tells Emma, "I'm going to need your hand."

"Does it matter which one?"

"Not at all."

Emma extends her right hand and Regina grabs it with her own. She wraps the fabric around their joint fingers over and over until there are at least five layers.

"This looks like a marriage ceremony," the Savior awkwardly notes.

"What?"

"This looks like a marriage ceremony they did on Doctor Who one time. Henry watches it. I've seen most of it. We used to watch it in New York all the time. I think you might like it. It's on Netflix. We could all watch it, if you want. Maybe one night after dinner?"

Regina's trying so hard to concentrate but it's nearly impossible when Emma's eyes are so kind and hypnotizing and when she won't stop blabbing about irrelevant things.

"Hush," Regina warns as she closes her own eyes and pictures what she wants to do. "I need to focus."

"Sorry," Emma offers. "Should I be doing something?"

"Think about the people you want to protect from our newest villain."

That shuts Emma up quite quickly. Regina can almost feel the intensity beaming off of her; she feels their magic mix together and it's such an incredibly amazing high. After a few moments, Regina unwraps the cloth and separates their hands trying to shake off the buzzing sensation that's crawling on her skin.

"How did we know if it worked?" Emma questions.

Regina answers by creating a fireball in her palm.

"Holy shit," Emma gasps as she looks down at her own hand, clearly expecting it to be on fire as well. "Yeah, it worked. It worked. I felt that. Wow. Ok. Cool. It definitely worked."

* * *

><p><strong>Wanna come to dinner tn at the apartment? MM asked for you. She's very grateful you 'fixed my ankle' last night. <strong>

Regina glances down at the text message. It's an incredibly casual one to receive from someone who she is bound to intimately by magic but she realizes that Emma quite understand the gravity of what they've done. Why Regina was so willing to share a literal piece of herself with her son's mother is a very, very complicated thing. But complications don't really matter when they're working together for the greater good. of the town.

_OK. What time? _

**6. You can keep up the story though, right?**

_If lying to your mother was an Olympic sport, I would have all the gold medals._

**LOL, right. Henry says he's glad you're coming. :)**

_Thanks for the invitation. I'll see you both soon._

* * *

><p>Dinner is somewhat uneventful. Regina is seated in between Henry and Emma and it feels oddly like she's at home even though she's in the Charmings' apartment. When dinner ends, Henry excuses himself and David and Mary-Margaret begin to clear the table. Regina sits in comfortable with silence with Emma.<p>

Snow walks into the room moments later with baby Neal in her arms. She coos at him and tells him he's perfect and that he's the light of her life and if Regina didn't have such a soft spot for children she would find it completely nauseating.

But then Regina feels her chest set ablaze with emotion. She feels absolutely _furious_ and she doesn't know why until she remembers that her magic is bound to Emma. She studies the blonde curiously and marvels that her face isn't giving her away in the slightest. Charming calls his wife into the kitchen which leaves them alone once more.

"Why are you so angry right now?" Regina asks, her tone soft and curious.

"What?" Emma asks, clearly caught off-guard. "I am not."

"You're lying."

"You sound like _me_ now."

Regina just stares because Emma is trying to make jokes and from the intensity she feels inside of her right now she knows that this is no laughing matter.

"Fine," Emma gives in. "She's just really inconsiderate sometimes and it's like she doesn't even know it."

"Your mother?"

"Yeah."

"Not that _I'd _ever disagree with that sentiment, but what exactly has she done?"

Emma looks annoyed that she has to even explain it. As if Regina should just be able to read her mind. "Nothing, just forget it."

"No, I don't think I will."

"I mean...I've told her like, multiple times, that my first foster family sent me back because they had their own kid."

"Oh."

"And I'm a shitty person because I look at my brother and I love him, right? I love him and he's adorable. But then they look at him like he's the best thing they've ever seen and….."

The statement doesn't need to be finished. Regina understands completely.

"And _then_ to top it all off they call him Neal," Emma laughs- but it's darker than Regina's ever heard her sound. "And I remember that my first love hurt me so badly, so many times and just when we were starting to become friends and have something healthy between us for the first time ever, he gets murdered."

"I'll admit I was also a bit confused by their decision."

"So, yeah….sometimes I don't like being in this apartment. And sometimes I hate that they've made it even harder to love my little brother than I thought it would be."

"I'm sorry," Regina says. Because she genuinely understands what it's like to feel out of place and to feel anger towards someone you're supposed to love (the irony isn't lost on her that Snow has been that person for both of them).

"Not your fault," Emma quips.

"It doesn't….it doesn't make you a bad person to feel the way you do."

"Thanks."

"Then again, perhaps the fact that _I_ think you're so good actually means you're horrible," Regina realizes. "Oh God, I'm sorry, that might actually be the worst sign of all."

Emma bursts out into laughter (despite the fact that Regina was completely serious) and, somehow, that feels like a victory.

"What are you giggling about?" Snow asks when she walks back into the room. She's looking at them like they've completely lost their minds and, for some reason, it makes Emma laugh even harder.

David joins his wife and stares at them and it makes Regina finally lose it, too; Charming's confused face is really quite amusing and he looks like he's going to give himself a damn headache trying to figure out what's going on.

Regina can't remember the last time she laughed so hard that there were tears in her eyes.

* * *

><p>Emma's doing it again. The lingering thing. Like she doesn't want Regina to leave but she doesn't know what to do to get her to stay. The two of them are standing in the doorway while Henry is gathering his stuff.<p>

"Are you worried?" Regina asks. She doesn't add _'about being alone tonight.'_

"No. I just wish…"

"What do you wish?" The question feels so heavy. It's not how she meant it to come out. But it hangs in the air like the answer could change everything

"I don't know."

Regina thinks it looks like Emma has started biting her fingernails. She can almost feel the anxiety emanating off of her. So she gently reminds her, "This apartment is protected with magic, too."

"I know that," Emma snaps, suddenly seeming angry. "You've told me like fifty times already. I get the damn point."

"OK?" Regina's face contorts in confusion because she has no idea where the outburst came from. "Well, then, goodnight."

She turns to leave with every intention of waiting for Henry at the bottom of the stairs but then Emma grabs her wrist (for the second time in 24 hours) and it's gentle but meaningful. "I'm sorry. I'm a bitch to you sometimes," she says.

"You are," Regina agrees. "But it works both ways."

"Yeah; it always has."

Regina realizes how true the statement really is. They can both be cruel to each other and Regina would be lying if she said it didn't hurt (sometimes Emma's words sting more than anyone else's). But it's almost irrelevant- because their petty comments pale in comparison to their shared loved for their son. Regina takes Emma's shit and Emma take's Regina shit and at the end of the day they know they will always be in each other's lives and, truthfully, that's more than Regina ever expected to have with anyone.

"You and Henry should poof home. It's late."

"But my car is here."

"So, what? I'll drive it to your house tomorrow. There's a villain on the loose."

"_I'm_ a villain."

"Are _not_," Emma rebuts. "Not anymore."

"According to _you_."

"Nope. According to your light magic. Face it, you've gotten all soft and mushy thanks to the kid."

"In any case, I'm perfectly capable of driving home. I'm not going to live my life in fear. And I won't let anything happen to our son."

"Well,_ that_ I know."

As if on cue, Henry appears at the door. "Ready?" He asks.

The question is posed to Regina but she doesn't answer. Instead she raises an eyebrow at Emma as if she's actually asking her for permission.

"Fine," Emma finally releases her wrist. "Will you at least text me when you get home?"

"Of course."

* * *

><p>Regina has not stepped more than two feet into the house before the phone is ringing. She picks up immediately because she assumes it's Emma. "Hello."<p>

"Hi," Snow's voice speaks back to her. "Does Emma seem upset to you?"

"How would I know?"

"Don't do that. I know she talks to you. I'm not….it's not a complaint, Regina. I think it's wonderful that you two are….." Snow trails off and apparently Regina's not the only one struggling with definition, "friends."

"Emma is fine."

When the lie comes out of her throat, Regina understands where her loyalty rests. It's not with the woman she's known longer than anyone else in her life. It's, apparently, with the Savior.

"That's not true," Snow understands. "Can I at least get a hint at what my daughter is upset about?"

"Perhaps it would be worth remembering, more than once a day, that you actually have a daughter."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm not your family therapist, dear. _You_ figure it out."

"OK," Snow accepts that she's not going to get anything more. "Thanks."

Regina hangs up without saying goodbye.

* * *

><p>The next time the phone rings it's the middle of the night. She is positive that Snow is calling back to ask her more annoying questions so she picks up the phone with a sigh and mutters, "<em>God damn it, Snow.<em>"

"You didn't text me when you got home."

"Oh," Regina immediately realizes she was wrong, once again, about whose voice to expect. "Hi."

"Hey."

"Your mother called me the second I walked in the door and she distracted me with her ridiculousness."

"You could've been dead."

"You would've known. That's what the spell is for."

"Whatever. I texted Henry to make sure."

"You're upset with me?"

"It's just not that hard to send a text, you know? It takes like ten seconds."

Emma's genuine annoyance hits Regina hard. She feels guilty because she really did mean to text her.

"I suppose I'm not used to having anyone be concerned about my well-being."

The line is so, so quiet and she almost takes pride in shocking the Savior into silence.

"OK, that's fair," Emma finally says. "I'm not mad."

"Good."

"I had this dream," Emma continues (apparently they're moving onto the next topic) "But I don't know if it's a memory."

"What do you mean?"

"When I was asleep, I had a dream about getting attacked."

Regina sits up then, devoting her full-attention. "Do you know where you were or who was there?"

"No. I just remember….being really scared, I guess. Which is why I don't know if it's coming back to me or if I'm just making it up in my mind."

"A memory potion wipes out memories completely," Regina explains. "You're unlikely to get them back through a dream."

"Oh, yeah, I probably should've realized that."

"But I'm sorry you can't sleep."

"How come you can?"

"There were many years of my life in which sleep was the only time I was at peace."

"Well, that's fucking depressing."

"More depressing than being tossed around the foster system for eighteen years?"

"We definitely shouldn't play this game. It's dark and twisted."

"Aren't _we_?"

"Touche," Emma admits with a gentle laugh. "How the hell did Henry turn out so _not _dark and twisted?"

"I'm not sure. Your parents' genetics?"

"I mean, I guess. But you would think having the Dark One as your other grandparent would, like, overpower them genetically."

"All I know is we got quite lucky."

"Yeah, we did," Emma agrees. "Hey, you never answered me about watching Doctor Who. Don't think I forgot about that…."

When Regina wakes up the next morning the phone is pressed to her ear. The heat emulating from the device is nothing in comparison to the warmth she feels in her stomach for the person who has surely been disconnected by now.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hope you enjoy the update! Let me know xo**

* * *

><p>Regina descends the staircase with a yawn and finds her son eating breakfast at the kitchen island. His eyes are glued to his algebra textbook as he practically shovels cereal into his mouth. The sight of it, so incredibly normal and domestic, makes her heart swell with joy. The simple fact that they've found peace amidst the chaos feels like a dream she's terrified to wake up from.<p>

"Good-morning sweetheart," she greets as she desperately makes her way to the coffee pot. Her late-night conversation with Emma has her feeling more tired than usual and there's a terrible pain in her neck she can't seem to get rid of. She's never had a cramp quite like it before, though she thinks it's safe to assume it's the result of falling asleep still holding the phone to her ear.

"Morning," Henry grunts, barely audibly, in return.

She studies him curiously as she wonders what, exactly, he knows about Emma's supposed feelings for her (the feelings Henry _allegedly_ told Hook about). Although she wants to talk to him about it, she is somewhat afraid to broach the subject. She wonders if there is any use hiding it though. Henry, like Emma, is always able to see right through her. And Regina has learned the hard way that honesty is the best policy when it comes to her son; anything else inevitably comes back to haunt her.

"May I ask you something?" The words jump out of her throat before she's thought the consequences through any further. She pours her coffee and takes the seat next to him.

"Sure," he replies, though his gaze remains glued to the text in front of him. "What's up?"

"Why did you tell Hook that Emma has feelings for me?"

The words sounds so strange aloud and it's an incredibly bizarre sensation to hear them in her own voice. The possibility of Emma _liking_ her in _that_ way still seems too absurd to be true. Regina feels very much like she's having an out-of-body experience.

"What?" Henry chokes out. The question clearly shocks him completely; a wave of panic washes over his face. "What are you talking about?"

"Did you _not_ tell him that?" She questions, unsure what she wants the answer to be. She knows that she's not prepared for any response he'll give, because everything is bound to get more complicated one way or the other.

"Well," he stalls and she can literally see his brain churning, "who said I did?"

"Hook told me."

"Seriously?" Henry groans and blatantly rolls his eyes. "I _really _don't like him."

"Neither do I," Regina agrees. "Which is why I can't understand why you were speaking with him, let alone about _Emma_."

"This is really awkward," Henry almost physically cringes at the mention of his other mother. "I don't know what to say. And I definitely don't want to be in the middle of this."

"Oh, OK."

Except Regina doesn't know why she say it's OK when it's certainly not (mostly because she has no idea what _"this"_ is or why Henry would be in the middle of it).

"I only asked because I think that Emma is having a hard time right now and I'm trying to help her."

Emma's fragile state is becoming more and more apparent and Regina wonders if Henry sees it. But she knows that the Savior would never want their son to think she wasn't strong enough to handle the whole world. She's relatively confident Emma has successfully kept him in the dark.

"She is? What's wrong?"

"I think she's just adjusting to Storybrooke being her permanent home and that she's struggling with her relationship with her parents. I believe many of the things that have happened over the last year are finally hitting her."

"Oh," Henry sighs, like he really should've known. "Do you think she wants to run again?"

"I know that she won't run, even if she wants to," Regina says with a confidence she doesn't quite understand. "You're not going anywhere and neither is she."

For a moment there is nothing but silence. But then Henry closes his textbook and gets that look on his face like he's about to get grounded. "I made a stupid comment," he says. "That's how it all started."

"A comment about what?"

Her son's cheeks flush bright, bright red at the inquiry. "About her, um, staring at you when we went to the beach."

_The goddamn beach_, Regina thinks. They never should've gone. She wishes she could erase that day entirely.

"I honestly only said it because I thought you guys were fighting," Henry continues. "I was worried that you were only pretending to get along for me. You _seemed_ so happy hanging out but then she kept _looking_ at you like she really needed to tell you something."

At least, Regina thinks, it wasn't all in her head. Henry saw it, too. Their sweet, observant son noticed Emma's behavior and was just as confused by it. The solidarity is oddly comforting.

"So, I said something about her staring and she completely freaked out and told me to stop talking. When I asked why she was throwing a fit she said that I was 'too young to understand.'"

"I see," Regina tries to process, tries to picture the scene he's describing.

"I'm not stupid, Mom. I know what 'too young to understand' means. Adults always use that phrase when they don't want to explain _romantic_ stuff to kids."

"But…"

"Plus, Hook was basically stalking her," Henry interrupts her protest. "I felt like I had to say something because it was getting ridiculous. I told him that Emma wasn't interested and when he didn't believe me I said it was because she likes _you_."

Regina is not overly-confident that Henry has drawn the right conclusion. Emma's flustered state when Henry questioned her lingering stares could have meant many things. But then Regina remembers that Hook (whose story has checked out so far) said he confronted Emma about Henry's theory and that the Savior confirmed it herself.

"Thank you for telling me the truth."

"You're welcome."

The doorbell rings and Regina almost wants to laugh at the timing. She's never, ever been one to have time on her side but she's more than happy to be 'saved by the bell,' so to speak. She practically jumps up to answer it because it's better than the alternative of answering any follow-up questions Henry might have about what this all means for their already way-too-complicated family.

When Regina opens the door, Snow is standing in front of her with baby Neal glued to her hip. She looks like she hasn't slept in ages. If Regina's honest about it, Snow looks worse than she's ever looked before.

"Hi," her former nemesis breathily exhales. "Is Emma here?"

Apparently Regina's _not _going to get a break from discussing The Savior any time soon.

"No."

"I don't know where she is. David said she didn't show up for work."

Regina is sure that Emma is safe because, well, she can f_eel_ it. But she can't exactly explain that to the woman standing before her. So, she does the only thing she can think of.

"Very well. I'll go find her and make sure she's OK."

"How?" Snow questions, startled by how easy and casual Regina makes the solution seem. "I'll come with you."

"No, you won't. Emma clearly wants to be alone. I'll simply make sure she's not in any danger."

"Oh."

Snow is flustered and upset but she also doesn't look like she's in the mood to argue.

"Do you think you can handle making sure Henry gets to school?" Regina sasses, because she can't stop herself. She _has_ changed, but old habits die hard. "Or will you lose him, too?"

* * *

><p>Regina finds Emma sitting atop Henry's castle, feet dangling off the edge. Although she used magic to direct her to this particular spot, Regina's certain she would've come to it on her own. She wants to marvel at Snow's lack of knowledge about her own daughter but she doesn't have the time. Not when Emma looks so sad and confused as she stares out into space.<p>

"Emma," Regina says, looking up with her arms crossed about her chest. The cold air is biting and the wind is so strong that strands of hair keep ending up in her face.

"Hey?" The Savior greets in question as their eyes meet. "What are you doing here?"

"Your parents were concerned that you didn't show up for work. They thought you might be injured or worse."

"Well, I'm not."

"Yes, I can see that," Regina deadpans. "And I could feel it, too- thanks to our bound magic."

"So, then, why'd you come?" Emma looks so hopeful as she poses the question. As if the answer could change things.

"I was a bit curious as to why my Sheriff wasn't policing my town."

It's a ridiculous excuse that hardly makes sense because it's not like David isn't sitting at work making sure Storybrooke is completely safe.

"Can you come up here?" Emma suddenly requests. "It's kind of weird talking like this."

"You expect me to climb up a child's playground in a dress and heels? Why don't _you _come down here?"

"Don't be a diva. Just take the heels off or poof up here."

Regina sighs. She wants to object but truthfully she would rather get to the real issue at hand. So, she snaps her fingers, poofs, and ends up sitting right next to Emma. Regina raises her brow in victory and silently demands that Emma answer the question she has thus far ignored.

"I guess I just didn't feel like going to work today," is the only explanation. "Am I in trouble, boss?"

"I believe _I _was the one who told you yesterday that you needed a day off. People don't just waltz back into work after being attacked."

"Right," Emma scoffs. "Says the woman who just casually gets up after being thrown into cars and through clock-towers."

"Well, _I've_ had a lot of practice. Maybe someday you'll reach my level. Until then a day off seems completely reasonable."

Their shoulders are touching because there's not a lot of room in the play-pretend castle. It's the only thing about the moment that_ is_ pretend. Everything else feels so raw and real.

Emma, cheeks starting to look a bit windburned, turns to her and asks. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Regina bites back, overly defensive. "Because the Evil Queen is incapable of having empathy for anyone?"

"That's _so_ not what I meant," Emma corrects. "You have to stop assuming I think the worst of you all the time because I _don't_."

Regina says nothing because Emma is right. The Savior sees the best in her even when she has no reason to. She believed in her even before Henry did. Emma is a big part the reason Regina got a second chance with her son at all.

"I meant that you're being nice to me even though I'm being pathetic. I was attacked but I don't even remember it. I don't so much as have a single scar on my body thanks to you. What the hell am I even so upset about?"

"The unknown," Regina instantly understands. "Sometimes that's the most terrifying thing of all."

"I guess."

"I would be just as shaken if I didn't know who was after me or why."

"Still," Emma smirks, falling back on their familiar banter, "you have to admit, your usual methods with me _are_ a bit more tough. You tend to opt for pushing me off bridges."

"I did that because your self-doubt is astounding. And you needed to realize you could defeat Zelena."

"And now?" Emma asks, with pleading eyes. "What do I need now?"

A hug, Regina thinks to herself. But she's not sure she's ready to give one and Henry is already at school. So she decides that's not the best answer. "To stop being so hard on yourself. And to listen to your body if it's telling you to rest."

"Maybe."

"Or I suppose you could just spend your entire day off sitting in the cold. That seems completely reasonable."

"Hey!" Emma perks up, completely ignoring the sarcasm. "Will you play hooky with me?"

"Hooky?"

"Yeah, like, blow off work for no reason. We can hang out."

Emma says it as if it's something they've been doing forever when, in reality, it's a recent development. Regina's not sure what Emma has in mind but she doesn't want to say no when she looks so damn excited about the prospect.

"If you agree to rest then I will agree to this so-called 'hooky' business."

Emma laughs and the light, briefly, returns to her eyes. "I'm sorry, but it's _really_ funny when you don't understand things."

"Do you agree or not?"

"Yeah, OK, I agree. I didn't really sleep last night so rest is probably a good idea."

It's the first time either one of them has mentioned that minor detail; that they had spent hours talking on the phone the night before.

"When did I even fall asleep?" Regina questions. "I don't remember."

"I think it was around 3:30."

"And you didn't fall asleep after that?"

"No, I couldn't."

Regina wants to push that comment further but she senses it's not the time. Besides, they will apparently have all day together.

"You're in luck, you know."

"I am?"

"Indeed. According to our son, my bed just so happens to be the best place in the world to nap."

The words leave Regina's own mouth and they startle her to her core. She sounds vaguely like someone she used to know (but someone who has been gone for a long, long time). Maybe, Regina thinks, she _is _being strangely nice. Or maybe Emma, like Henry, simply brings it out of her.

* * *

><p><strong>For your information, Emma is fine.<strong>

_Where was she?_

**She has an upset stomach. She was at the pharmacy. **

Regina can't stop lying to Snow about Emma. She's actually a little worried that she's enjoying it too much. She just can't seem to understand the woman's decision to have another child when her daughter clearly needs her so much. But Snow has never been able to see too far past what _she_ wants. Regina blames Leopold for that one like she blames him for many, many things.

_Oh, okay. It's just weird she didn't call David to say she wasn't coming into work. Where is she now? _

**Resting at my house. She doesn't want to get her baby brother sick. **

_Aww, she's so thoughtful. Thanks for letting her stay with you again. Tell her that I love her. _

**Tell her yourself.**

"Stop texting and pay attention," Emma scolds. "This part is so good."

"I _am_ paying attention."

But that is also a lie. Regina has no idea what's going on in the program they're watching. She knows she enjoyed the look of pure joy on Emma's face when they got home and she showed her the big screen TV in the master bedroom. But everything after that is a blur because Emma is under her covers (again) and this time Regina is sitting right next to her instead of feet away on the loveseat.

Twenty minutes later when the credits roll, Emma turns to her and asks, "So, did you like it?"

"Very much," Regina tells her, hoping she doesn't ask for details or what her favorite part was (like Henry always does). "Are you hungry? I could make lunch."

"No!" Emma loudly protests. "I mean, I _am_ hungry but you're not allowed to cook."

"Why not?"

"There's no work of any kind of your day off. It has to be take-out."

"I was not aware there were so many rules."

"Oh, yeah, there are tons."

"Very well. What would you like from Granny's, then?"

"This feels like a grilled cheese and tomato soup day. But I'll come with you to pick it up."

"No, you won't._ I_ have rules, too. You're supposed to be resting."

"Fine. But I'm agreeing under protest."

"It's been noted."

* * *

><p>When Regina walks into Granny's she spots Rumple and Belle having lunch. She nods at the pair and is about to walk by them when she realizes they might actually have insight that could be incredibly valuable to her ongoing investigation. She learned a long time ago that her enemy's enemy is always her friend. And she intends to be put that philosophy to good use.<p>

She stops in her tracks and approaches their table. "May I speak with you for a moment?"

"Of course," Rumple agrees and begins to stand. He assumes that they'll need to go somewhere more private because their conversations are usually about darkness or magic and Regina knows (and understands) that he keeps all that away from Belle as much as possible.

"Actually," Regina stops him. "I would like to get Belle's opinion on this matter as well."

The couple looks at her with almost completely identical confused stares.

"It's about Hook," she clarifies as she slides into the booth and sits next to her former mentor.

"What about him?" Belle questions with a skeptical gaze.

"I suppose I was wondering what kind of nemesis he is. And you two would know that better than anyone."

Rumple chuckles darkly. "He's a son of a bitch."

"Yes, well, so are you," she quips. "But I need to know more than that. I need _details_. I need to know where he draws the line."

"Oh, he doesn't have a line," Belle says and Regina can practically _feel _her fury. "He'll do whatever it takes to get what he wants."

Regina is trying to put the pieces together. And she has to consider the possibility that Emma's rejection was the breaking point for a man used to winning at all costs.

"What if, perhaps, he came across something, or someone, that he wanted but he couldn't get?"

"Well," Rumple says, "I'm certain it would drive him to madness."

"And you don't believe he's changed?"

Regina knows that many people (including Snow and Charming) seem to think Hook _has_ changed. And she doesn't feel like she, of all people, is in the best position to question someone else's redemption.

"No," Belle firmly tells her. "He'll never change."

"You must see how that's a rather intriguing statement coming from _you_. Considering who you married, you obviously believe that some people can change very drastically. Why not Hook?"

"Because he's _not _sorry and he never will be. He stands by everything he's ever done. He'd shoot me again tomorrow if it would help him somehow. At least when _you_ apologized to me to me it was genuine. When he did, he laughed his way through it."

"You...you thought my apology was genuine?"

The question is somewhat off topic but she's too intrigued to not to ask. She did mean what she said to Belle, but she had no idea that the woman believed her.

"What you did to me _wasn't _OK," Belle reiterates. "But I know enough to understand that Rumple used the people you loved to manipulate you for years. You were a pawn for him to get his son back and I was your revenge. I believe you both have moved on for the sake of the people you love. I truly don't believe Hook is capable of the same. Or, at least, he hasn't shown that he's even willing to try."

Regina stares somewhat shell-shocked at the words. She has been positively validated very few times in her life and she's not sure she'll ever get used to it.

"Will that be all?" Rumple taps his fingers impatiently. Perhaps he's unamused by the compliments his wife is paying her or maybe he just wants to drop the topic of the past as soon as humanly possible.

"Just one last thing," Regina says, turning to the issue she can't seem to let go of. "Has Hook ever used magic?"

"Magic?" Rumple laughs. "No, not unless you count rum."

"What do you mean by that exactly?"

"That he has a reputation for getting women drunk and taking advantage of them."

"That's disgusting," Regina scowls. "Remind me again why didn't you kill him when you had the chance?"

"I don't know. But I ask myself that question often."

Belle gives them both a warning look and Regina takes it as her cue to leave.

"Well, I appreciate this. It's been helpful."

She stands, makes her way to the counter and places her order. As she waits, Belle approaches with her coffee cup and asks Ruby for a refill. But there is clearly something else on her mind. She turns to Regina.

"If you're planning something to do with Hook, please let me help."

"My plans are _my_ plans," Regina coldly responds, looking straight ahead. "And they don't concern you."

"If your plans are about Hook, they _do_ concern me."

Regina is impressed by her determination and she recognizes the need for closure when she sees it.

"Well, I'm not planning anything. I'm just looking for answers."

"And I'm good at finding them. So, please, just consider letting me help if what you're doing will, in any way, get people to see Hook for who he truly is."

"Okay," Regina softens and agrees. Maybe it wouldn't be such a terrible thing to have someone else on her side. She still doesn't know if Hook is guilty of anything besides being the scum of the earth, but she would love if she could speed up the process of finding out. "I will."

* * *

><p>When Regina returns home, the rest of the afternoon flies by. Emma falls in and out of sleep but in between they talk and eat and just, as Emma said, <em>hang out<em>. It's easy and comfortable, so much so that Regina lets Emma get bread crumbs in her bed and is too distracted by how genuinely happy she is to even notice the mess.

When Henry gets home from school he looks at them both suspiciously but doesn't say a word or question what he walked in on. Regina insists that Emma stays for dinner and the three of them eat in the den and talk about how Henry really should've started his book report earlier and how his soccer team is currently undefeated.

But dinner ends just as quickly as the rest of the day and then Emma is looking at her awkwardly in the kitchen when she announces. "I should probably go."

But this time Regina is not going to play the game. She's not even going to let Emma linger. Because if Emma is just going to end up calling her later then she would truly like to avoid waking up with another stiff neck.

"Actually, I'm not sure that's the best idea."

"What?" Emma fails to hide her surprise at the new twist in this familiar dynamic. "Why not?"

"Because this morning I told your mother that you were sick. If you return home now it will be quite obvious that you're not."

"I just feel bad, you know?" Emma shuffles her feet in the endearing way she often does. "You've done too much already and I don't want to overstay my welcome."

"I've done next to nothing."

"I disagree. You fed me twice today and that's pretty much everything."

Regina laughs. "If you stay, we could continue watching your show."

"Really?"

"If you'd like."

"That'd be awesome. I thought you were just pretending to like it because you felt bad for me."

Regina was (and still is) pretending to like the damn show that she has already forgotten the name of. But Emma is going to _stay _and that's important because now Regina can make sure she gets a good night sleep. This time she at least allows herself to acknowledge how odd it is that Savior's sleeping patterns is her biggest concern. But she pushes the thought to the furthest corner of her mind and hopes she quickly forgets that it's hidden there.

* * *

><p>Emma falls asleep surprisingly quickly into the next episode but Regina cannot for the life of her do the same. She can't stop her mind from racing and turning. She's thinking about so many things. <em>Emma, Henry, Snow, Hook. <em>She's thinking about what she can do to figure it all out without going dark or using methods she knows her son wouldn't approve of.

And then, suddenly, she has an idea. It's a pretty damn good one, too. She thinks Henry would be proud of her.

She sends Belle a text that explains, in full-detail, what she needs her to do. It only takes fifteen minutes for the librarian to respond that they should immediately meet by the docks.

Regina looks over at Emma who is sleeping peacefully. She doesn't want to wake her. So she decides to leave a note that simply says:_ Following a lead. Call if you need me. -Regina._

And then she poofs and reappears right next to the Jolly Roger. Belle is already there waiting for her looking incredibly anxious and excited.

"You're sure about this?" Regina asks. She doesn't trust easily and involving Belle is a questionable decision. But if she is ever going to get her chance to properly investigate, this seems like the only way.

"Yes. Ruby said Hook is at the Rabbit Hole with his whole crew. It doesn't look like they're leaving anytime soon."

"Good."

With that, Regina and Belle climb aboard the Jolly Roger. They make their way to the Captain's quarters all the while Regina is on guard, waiting for something to go wrong. Once they are safely inside Regina starts searching every nook and cranny for the proof she needs.

"What, exactly, are we looking for?" Her new partner asks.

"Signs that he used magic," Regina explains. "Although it looks like you and your groom were right: the only thing on this whole damn ship is rum."

They both move quickly, rummaging through the pirate's belongings. Because Regina just needs to know one way or the other if it's worth suspecting this man at all.

"It's Emma, isn't it?" Belle questions, breaking their working silence.

"Excuse me?"

"She's the one you think Hook is after? Or that he used magic on?"

Regina has no response because she doesn't want to explain anything but it's not all that surprising that Belle would want answers.

"It's OK," Belle promises. "You don't have to tell me anything. I just figured because Neal told me Hook was obsessed with her."

"Neal said that?"

"Yeah. I think he accepted he wasn't going to get Emma back. But he hated the thought of her with Hook. Or of Henry around Hook, for that matter.."

"Well, yes, that makes two of us."

Belle gives her a small, sympathetic smile and Regina actually feels like maybe she's found a friend. Their somewhat endearing moment is interrupted by the floorboards moving above them and they both know, instantly, that the Captain has returned earlier than Ruby anticipated.

"We should get out of here," Belle says. Regina realizes then that behind the courageous front she is putting on, Rumple's wife is still very much scared of Hook.

"No. Not yet."

Regina doesn't know why her gut is telling her to stay. But she grabs Belle by the wrist and drags her into the corner of the room before she uses an invisibility spell to make sure they can spy without being caught.

Moments later, Hook comes stumbling into the room. He is beyond drunk and Regina decides that she's unlikely to get anything useful out of a man who probably doesn't even currently know his own name. But then a few members of his crew, equally intoxicated, come straggling in behind him and she swears she hears them mention Emma's name.

"To lose a woman is bad enough," Hook slurs, nearly tripping. He holds himself up on the table in the middle of the room. "But to lose her to another woman is an unthinkable shame."

"At least Regina is a Queen, mate," one of the other men responds. "Losing to royalty isn't a shame. "

"_Fuck her_."

"Aye. I'm sure Emma is by now."

Hook takes the bottle in his hand and launches it across the room. The man who made the comment somehow ducks in time and the glass shatters against the wall behind him.

Regina is _furious_ because Hook is speaking about Emma like she is an object he deserves to have. And she's very uncomfortable because Belle is standing right next to her and has overheard the whole thing.

She feels suddenly overheated and it's all too much and she poofs them away. Her magic is powerful enough to send Belle back home and that's what she does in the hopes that they'll never have to talk about what just happened again.

* * *

><p>When Regina appears back her bedroom in a cloud of purple smoke she is instantly met with the sight of Emma sitting up in bed clenching the note in her hands.<p>

"Where did you go?" Emma questions. "And what does this even mean?"

"I had to meet Belle."

"Belle? In the middle of the night? Why?"

"She helped with Zelena and I thought, perhaps, she could help me find a way to track the magic that was used on you after you were attacked."

"Oh."

"I didn't tell her what, exactly, she was helping me with," Regina clarifies. "I would never betray your trust. But she's very intelligent and resourceful and I thought…."

"It's a good idea," Emma reassures her. "Did you two make any progress?"

"I'm not sure," Regina admits. It's the truth because she hasn't exactly had enough time to digest what she just witnessed. "Why are you awake? You were fast asleep when I left."

"I had a nightmare."

"Again? I'm sorry."

Regina gets back into bed and she finds that she really wants to curl up next to Emma. But that's not something they do so she just lays there in silence taking comfort in the fact that she's not alone.

"It's fine."

"It's not. I know you're scared."

She finally calls Emma out on the truth. Maybe it will hurt her pride but it needs to be said.

"I am not."

"You are. I recognize it all too well."

"You? What are you talking about? You're never scared."

"I used to be," Regina tells her. "I used to be scared all the time. Do you know when I stopped being scared? When I stopped caring whether or not I lived or died."

"_Regina." _Emma turns to her with a horrified urgency in her voice.

"Things have changed," she promises. "My point was merely that fear is a good thing. It means you have something to fight for, to live for."

"I do," Emma whispers into the dark. "I still have things I want to do and….. stuff I need to tell people."

Regina thinks of Henry saying Emma looked like she needed to tell her something. She suddenly wonders if he was on to something very important. She suddenly wants to know what Emma has to say to her even if it will turn their lives upside down.

"I hope…." She struggles with the right words, the right way to handle it. "I hope you say whatever it is soon."

Emma reaches out across the space between them and grabs her hand.


	4. Chapter 4

**I absolutely LOVE reading all of your theories about what's going on here! Thanks for the awesome feedback. Hope you like the update. Let me know! **

* * *

><p>"<em>Regina." <em>

The former-queen almost jumps out of her skin as she feels someone nudging her shoulder. She's confused and disoriented but she still manages to recognize the voice calling her name. In fact, she's certain she would recognize it anywhere.

"_Emma?" _

She almost expects to be sprawled out in the middle of the street, injured and dying. But, instead, Regina opens her eyes and finds the Savior sitting on the edge of the bed like she belongs there. As green eyes sparkle brightly at her, Regina remembers what happened the previous night - she remembers Emma intertwining their fingers but not quite working up enough courage to say whatever was clearly on her mind.

"Yeah," Emma says with a warm smile. "I'm sorry if I scared you."

"No, no. I just…. forgot you were here," Regina shakes off the awkwardness as she sits up. She can't remember the last time someone besides Henry saw her like this: no make up, sleep in her eyes, completely her natural self. But it's becoming routine for Emma. The thought is admittedly a bit unnerving but not exactly uncomfortable. "Did you sleep well?"

"I slept amazing, yeah. I was thinking I could take Henry to school this morning?"

"Are you certain?"

"You were out late with Belle last night and I thought you could use the extra sleep. But I didn't want to leave without telling you what we were doing… I didn't want you to wake up and think…"

_That something had happened to them, _Regina instantly understood. She's not sure when Emma learned to read her so well. Perhaps, she contemplates, the Savior has more than one superpower when it comes to her.

"Thank you."

"_I'm_ the one who should be saying that," Emma insists. "Yesterday was exactly what I needed. I'm so glad you begged me to hang out with you."

Regina light-heartedly scoffs at the notion. "That's not at _all _an accurate representation of what happened."

Emma laughs. "I know," she concedes. "Go back to sleep, OK? I'll see you later."

Regina can't say she hates how normal it feels to roll back over as Emma gathers her things and then leaves to start her own day.

* * *

><p>Regina has absolutely nothing on her morning schedule so she decides to just stay home and go into work after lunch. Aside from Emma's still unsolved attack (which no one else even knows about, anyway) the town has been quiet in the aftermath of Zelena. Quite frankly, the Mayor's office has been painfully dull and she's certain no one will even notice her tardiness.<p>

It's 9:30 AM when Emma first texts her. Regina is standing by the coffee-maker as her phone vibrates against the counter.

**Hey. **

She stares at the message because she doesn't know what to do with it. She's never been much of a texter and she's not versed in the proper etiquette. Henry will sometimes send her messages if he's running late but usually she asks even him to call instead.

_Hello._ She types. She pauses for a moment in contemplation before adding: _How are you?_

**Dreading the night-shift tonight. Otherwise, good. You?**

_I'm fine. I hope you take a nap this afternoon. We just got your sleeping pattern back to normal. It would be a shame to ruin it again so soon. _

**Lol, I know right? I definitely will take a nap later. **

Out of the corner of her eye, Regina spots Emma's red-leather jacket still sitting in her living room. She's overcome with a sudden desire to see the garment's owner. It's truly ridiculous because they are currently exchanging messages and, even worse, it's been less than two hours since Emma left.

Instead of responding to latest text, Regina opens the freezer. Because she has to do _something_. And cooking has always been her favorite distraction (at least of the non-murderous variety).

* * *

><p>Regina climbs the stairs to the Charming's apartment and opens the locked door with a wave of her hand. She waltzes inside and beelines for Emma's room before she is stopped by a voice originating from the den.<p>

"Regina?" Snow calls out to her.

"Oh, hello."

"What are you doing?"

She feels incredibly embarrassed because, well, what _is_ she doing? She just essentially broke into the apartment so that she could surprise Emma with something homemade to eat before her evening shift (how her so called distraction turned into cooking for the Savior is another story altogether). She was apparently so caught up in her that mission that she forgot Emma doesn't live alone.

"I wanted to bring this to Emma," she explains nonchalantly. "For when she wakes up."

"Wakes up?" Snow questions, still visibly thrown off by the unexpected entrance.

"From her nap. Before her night-shift. She said she was…"

"Oh, oh, yes. She was going to take a nap but then David asked her for help with his truck. He's been having trouble with the..."

"She's _supposed_ to be sleeping," Regina fiercely interjects. "Can't David pay someone, a professional, to fix his car instead of using his daughter as free labor?"

Snow raises a brow at the reaction and then her eyes dart to the food in Regina's hands. "Is that chicken parm?"

"Yes."

"That's a good strategy."

Regina doesn't understand why although Snow is complimenting her, she is also eyeing her very suspiciously.

"Strategy? What is that supposed to even mean?"

"Well, the way to Emma's heart is definitely through her stomach."

"_What?" _

Snow merely looks at her - really, really looks at her - in response. Regina has to calm her desire to smack the look off of her face.

"Why did you just say that?" She demands. "And why did you say it so casually?"

"I thought…" Snow suddenly looks a little scared that she's, perhaps, awakened the Evil Queen. She starts to stutter a bit, losing all the confidence she had mere seconds ago. "I…um, well, the town line?"

"The town line?"

"Pan's curse. That whole day was….telling. And um, when you let Emma go I thought it was…..obvious. I mean, it was obvious when you two were saying goodbye."

"What was obvious?"

"That you lov- _um_- like each other?"

Regina doesn't know what it is about Snow's words that instantly take her back to the moment she stood holding the scroll. But all of a sudden she remembers gasping for breath and falling to the ground.

_And then she remembers finding herself in the hallways of her teenage home. She's running after her father and they're having an argument that feels all too familiar in a place and time her heart still sometimes aches for in her dreams. _

"_Daddy, please," she begs. "I love them." _

"_I know that," he turns to face her, wide-eyes full of understanding. "Which is why you have to let them go." _

"_No, I won't. I won't do this. Not again." _

_She feels so angry that this is happening all over and that her life always circles right back to unbearable agony just when she's sure it has finally turned around. _

"_You have to protect them." _

"_This isn't fair." _

"_It's the price of the curse, my darling." _

"_But I already paid the price of the damn curse!" Regina screams and stomps her feet. Because he would know better than anyone that she's sacrificed more than she should've been willing to give. "And I've tried… so hard…. to make up for…." _

_Her father frowns and grabs her hands. "I need you to understand something, Regina." _

_She senses how serious he is and, momentarily, the anger melts away and is replaced by a longing to listen to his advice. "What is it?" _

"_Emma Swan is Storybrooke's Savior." _

"_Yes, I know that already." _

"_I wasn't finished," he scolds but it's teasing and loving and so very them. "Emma Swan is Storybrooke's Savior. But you….you, my love, are Emma Swan's Savior." _

"_No," she pulls back, yanking her hands out of his. "That's impossible. Emma doesn't need saving." _

"_She does right now." _

_If it were anyone else proclaiming such a ridiculous notion she would probably have already burned them to a crisp. But because it's her father, she has to wonder. "What am I supposed to do then?" _

"_Trust your instincts. And trust her." _

_"I do…" Regina trails off. "Trust her." _

"_But do you trust yourself?"_

_She shrugs. Because, no, of course she doesn't trust herself with such an incredibly enormous task. _

_She's a villain. And villains weren't born to save heroes._

"_You must," he warns. "And fast." _

_The next thing Regina knows she's hearing her name called and Emma's hand is on her arm. Regina opens her eyes, exhales, grabs onto the Savior and says her name like it's a prayer. _

_She stands up and realizes she can't quite remember what happened when she passed out. All she knows is that there is a feeling eating at her insides and telling her that she needs to get Henry and Emma far, far away from Storybrooke._

_And then Regina is standing at the town line holding Emma's hand and the Savior looks devastated. Their eyes are locked on one another and they're not speaking but they don't need to be because Regina can hear every thought running through Emma's mind. _

_She hears Emma's fears about how she's not good enough to raise Henry on her own and how she's not worthy of the false memories Regina is about to give her. Regina gives Emma a look in return that says that this is right even though it's all wrong. It' wrong because Regina is physically aching to hold her closer before she's gone forever but the whole of Storybrooke is staring at them and the smoke is fast approaching and she knows she'll never, ever get the chance to..._

As the memories flood her, Regina sits down on the couch because if she doesn't she's sure going to fall on the floor of the apartment.

Because Snow is right.

And Henry is right.

And, _fuck_, because even Hook is right.

It's been there all this time, right in front of her face. From the townline. Or maybe even earlier. But how in the hell could she have forgotten so for long what her father said to her? Or what it felt like in those split seconds before they were sent back to the enchanted forest? How could she have forgotten that along with the desperation she felt to see her son when she ripped out her own heart and buried it, she also felt a distinct ache to see the woman who she had sent with him?

The answer was probably simple: Zelena had happened and things went back to normal (by Storybrooke terms, at least) and she had let it all fade away like the memories of that entire year. It all felt like something she knew was true but hadn't really happened to her. It was so easy to fall back into the routine of this damn town and act like nothing was different.

But things _were _different and maybe that finally explained all the confusion she's been feeling lately.

"Oh," the single syllable spills from her mouth as she holds onto the armrest of the chair, knuckles turning white.

"Are you OK?"

"I didn't know. I didn't..."

Regina wants Snow to understand. For some inexpiable reason she desperately wants her former-nemesis to know she wasn't hiding this secret from her.

"And now you do?"

She doesn't know how to answer. And this is not even close to the place for realizations. _Especially_ this one.

"I'm sorry," Snow offers. "I honestly thought...there was no way you didn't know…"

It feels like someone is sitting on her chest breaking every bone of her ribs.

Because she has feelings for Emma Swan.

And she's pretty goddamn sure those feelings are returned tenfold.

The door swings open and David and Emma walk in. Regina doesn't look but she can hear David say something and Emma laugh at whatever it is.

"Regina," the Savior instantly, inevitably notices her. "What are you doing here?"

"She brought you food," Snow answers on her behalf. "So you have something to eat on shift."

"Really?!" Emma sounds so excited. Actually, it's first time in a long time she's sounded genuinely happy and Regina cannot be the source of it because she's _not_ up for that kind of responsibility no matter what her father told her. "Score."

As Emma turns the corner, she processes Regina's catatonic state and rushes to her side with palpable concern.

"_Hey_, what's wrong?"

Emma is sitting next to her, hand on her arm in the same place Emma always touches her. The fact that Regina has a spot on her body that Emma's already claimed as her own probably should've been telling.

"_Regina_."

She hears her name and she wants to respond but she is literally frozen like a statue and she doesn't even know if she's breathing anymore.

"Mom? What's going on?" For once, Snow doesn't seem to have an explanation. "What happened?"

Emma's mother can't possibly the tell the truth but the woman has never been a creative liar. So, she contributes to the silence by saying nothing.

"Why the hell aren't either one of you talking?!"

Emma sounds frantic now as she removes her hand from Regina's arm and, instead, grabs the former queen by the waist, pulling her closer. Regina can smell the gasoline, presumably from David's truck, emanating off her clothes and her skin.

"I'm fine," Regina finally speaks, because the reality of Emma holding her is enough to give her a reason to figure out an exit strategy. "I have to go."

She's up and on her feet and she's out the door so, so fast. She can hear Emma's footsteps following her.

So, naturally, she poofs away.

Because Regina is a lot of things. But brave hasn't always been one of them.

* * *

><p>Regina is sitting in her office because, in theory, it was supposed to give her something productive to do. But just as she predicted, absolutely nothing is going on at town hall.<p>

When her phone goes off, she doesn't have to wonder who the message is from.

**For what it's worth, this dinner is beyond amazing. **

She answers because she's worried that if she doesn't Emma will show up and she can't handle that.

_I'm glad you're enjoying it. _

**Thank you again. **

Regina doesn't answer that one. But two minutes later, she receives another message.

**What are you doing right now?**

_Working._

She is so grateful Emma can't tell when she's lying via text. Because sitting and staring into space definitely doesn't qualify as working.

Quite unexpectedly, Gold walks into her office without bothering to knock. Regina has to resist the urge to smash her head against the wall. Because whatever it is he has to say, she's _not _in the mood to hear it.

"Why were you with my wife last night?" The imp asks in greeting. "And where, exactly, did you take her?"

Regina has no idea how much Belle has told him or how much she wants him to know so she just plays dumb. "I'm sorry?"

"_Don't_," he warns, seeing right through her. "I'm assuming, based on our last conversation, it has to do with the one-handed pirate? I want you to let me in on whatever it is you're planning. And I want you to leave Belle out of it. It's not her battle."

"That's interesting. Because she seems to disagree."

Before they can continue, Hook strolls into the room and Regina decides it must just be the day for living nightmares coming true.

"Your majesty," the pirate scowls. "May I have a moment of your time?"

"No, you may not. We're in the middle of something here."

"I'll be quick," he continues, refusing to take no for an answer. "Why were you on the Jolly Roger last night?"

"Excuse me?"

"One of my mates saw your purple smoke."

Damn. She forgot that, invisibility spell or not, her smoke appears whenever she poofs away.

"Did_ you_ see it?" She challenges, sure she can still get out of this. "Or are you just taking their word for it?"

"I was a bit….intoxicated last evening. I can't say I remember much of anything."

"Well, your 'mates' should have their eyes checked. Because I was nowhere near your filthy vessel last night."

Hook marches up to her desk, leans over it and gets way too close to her face for comfort.

"Whatever game you're playing, Regina...you're _not_ going to win."

Her cellphone vibrates on her desk. Another message from Emma. The Savior's name is visible on the screen. Regina knows she shouldn't go there. She really, really shouldn't. It's just _asking _for bad karma. But the words jump out of her throat, anyway. Because she is, and always has been, reckless.

"I think we both know I_ already_ have."

Her arrogant declaration causes Hook to, in a fury, knock all of the papers off her desk and storm out of the room. She wishes she didn't take pleasure in pissing him off. But she can't seem to help it.

"This is about Ms. Swan?" Gold's question brings her back to reality.

"No."

But it's obvious he knows otherwise.

"At last," he laughs. "Some pay off."

"Pay off?"

"You always had a penchant for eating swans but you never understood what was so amusing about that fact. I've been making jokes that have been going over your head for years.

She stares at him curiously with no damn clue what he's talking about.

"Not ringing a bell? Perhaps this will…_'nothing can stop the darkness except, of course, their unborn child_.'"

Regina's heart skips a beat as she remembers those words.

"You seem a lot less dark these days, dearie."

* * *

><p>"Are you alright?"<p>

Henry asks the question as they sit together eating dinner at the kitchen table. She's been trying her best not to let her emotions show but it seems she has failed tremendously.

"Yes. I just had an…. odd day."

"Is this about Emma?"

"Why would you think that?"

"Well, you've been a little on edge since our last conversation about her. I hope I didn't screw up by telling you…"

"No, no. You didn't. Truthfully, I've been thinking a lot about what you said."

"Which part?"

Regina sighs and exhales. Maybe she shouldn't be talking to a twelve year old boy about such adult matters. But Henry has always been more mature than his age and he's the only person she would trust enough to be completely honest with her, anyway. "Do you really believe that Emma cares for me?"

"Um, mom, I think that's a pretty big understatement."

"I feel….protective of her," Regina admits aloud for the first time. "And _you're_ really the only person I've felt that way about. It's given me pause to consider that I truly care about her, too."

"Do you think you feel that way because she gave me you? Technically speaking, I mean."

"I think that's part of it. But it's not...it's not the only reason. It's all very confusing but I think you were right, Henry. Emma has been trying to tell me something. And I want to try to figure out what it is and what it means. Is that…. is it OK with you?"

"Of course it is!" He exclaims. "I think you _have _to figure it out. Otherwise, it's just going to get more confusing, right?"

"Yes. But I don't want you to get your hopes up."

"Look" Henry says, sounding so damn much like Emma that it's chilling. "I'm really not expecting anything. And I promise I'll stay out of it completely. You guys figure it out and I'll just be here feeling lucky that I have you both in my life."

She reaches across the table and grabs his hand. She will never stop being grateful for his support and endless, unconditional love.

Regina's phone rings on the table, interrupting the mother-son moment.

"Speak of the devil…." Henry pushes the device in her direction. "Looks like Emma's ears were ringing."

"I'll call her back later."

Her son shoots her a warning look. "You know, you can't figure anything out if you don't talk to her?"

"We're eating dinner."

"Nice try but we're basically done," Henry rises and clears both of their plates. "Don't be a chicken," he tells her before leaving her alone in the room.

She has no choice but to face the music.

"_Hello." _

"So," Emma begins, "I still don't know what happened today or if you're upset or mad at me or…"

"No, I'm not. I'm..."

"Regina, I need to tell you something."

She wonders if this is it. She wonders if it's finally going to happen.

"What is it?"

"I remember who attacked me."

The words are so, completely not what she expected that it takes her a few seconds to understand the meaning behind them. But as soon as it hits her, she feels her stomach somersault.

"What?" She yells. "_Who_?"

"I...I can't say right now. I'm at work and David's right around the corner and…"

"No! Tell me this instant who almost killed you."

"No," Emma insists. She sounds so desperate but also, oddly, at peace. "You don't understand. I want - _need_ - to tell you everything from the beginning. But it can't be over the phone. It has to be in person. This is... it's important, OK?"

"Why can't you tell me who it was now and then tell me the whole story later?"

"Why can't you trust me?"

It's a low blow. But it works like a damn charm. If there is a reason Emma wants to tell her everything in person, she has to believe that it's for the best. But there's one thing she needs to know before she allows it….

"Are you in any danger right now?"

"No, I'm safe at work. David is here and I'm armed. And, hey...you're my magical back-up, right?"

"Yes. Indeed, I am."

"Do you remember how, that night, you said you weren't sure if you saved me? Because we didn't actually know what happened and we didn't see the other guy? The thing is….now I know for sure...you saved me. You...Christ, Regina...I don't even know what would've happened if you didn't….your instinct, or feeling, or whatever...it's pretty much the only reason I'm alive right now."

Regina thinks of her father and the impossible words he told her. Her chest feels heavy all over. But it also feels….warm.

"I know I'm rambling," Emma laughs. "I also know it's not fair that I'm not saying more now but...I just had to….I had to thank you. That part couldn't wait."

"I understand."

"This might be a lot to ask but - can I come over after my shift tonight? So we can talk?"

"Yes, of course."

"It's not going to be until, like, two AM by the time I get there."

"I don't care."

"Good. Then I'll see you soon."


End file.
